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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26652295">Admiration</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polyhexian/pseuds/Polyhexian'>Polyhexian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Humanformers: The Music AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Transformers (IDW Generation One), Transformers - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU, F/F, Humanformers, POV Third Person, Pre-Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:15:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,581</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26652295</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polyhexian/pseuds/Polyhexian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tailgate likes to walk Cyclonus to her car after class.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cyclonus &amp; Tailgate (Transformers)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Humanformers: The Music AU [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1859230</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>33</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Admiration</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Hey! Hi!" a voice called. Cyclonus did not turn around. "Hey!! Cyclonus, right?" </p><p>Cyclonus grimaced and stopped walking, adjusting her hold on her shoulder bag. She recognized the woman who ran up to her from her early human history class. Short, curvy, warm dark skin and dark hair she kept in a clean cut bob framing her face. She was wearing what looked like a pink faux fur jacket and jeans, which was out of character for her. She usually wore boring, neutral outfits. She always sat in the back and never did any work. She was probably auditing. Cyclonus regarded her with disinterest. She was here to get her degree as quickly as possible and go home. She didn't make friends here.</p><p>"Can I help you?" she asked, politely, but clearly unhappily.</p><p>"I saw you sing the other night!" the woman bubbled, "My name is Tailgate. I just wanted to say I thought you were amazing. I've never heard anything like it!"</p><p>Cyclonus's black painted lips twitched. "Thank you," she said, and then resumed walking. Tailgate began walking beside her, her shorter legs moving faster to keep up.</p><p>"Yeah, uh, my cousin Swerve owns the bar, you know- Swerve's, so I guess that makes sense, huh? So I go down there sometimes to hang out and meet people, but I've never seen you sing there before. Are you new around here? It was so cool. I think it's really amazing how you always dress like this even at school, and-"</p><p>"I wear what I like," Cyclonus interrupted, "And I don't let other people dictate how I present myself."</p><p>"Yeah!" Tailgate exclaimed, "That's what I mean, that's what's amazing! I think you must be really brave to not be worried about other people laughing at you because-"</p><p>"Do you think it's funny?" Cyclonus asked, narrowing her eyes.</p><p>"No!" Tailgate gasped, "I mean- I wish I was as brave as you. I wish I was brave enough to wear whatever I wanted to like you do. I worry too much what other people think of me, I think…"</p><p>"Then don't worry what other people think of you," said Cyclonus with a shrug, "It's a decision. You just have to make it, and then commit to it. No one's opinion matters but your own, so wear whatever you want."</p><p>"It's hard for me," Tailgate sighed, "I don't really know who I am, so I think I have to rely on who other people think I am a lot."</p><p>Cyclonus cocked an eyebrow curiously. "Why is that?"</p><p>"Oh, I've just had like- you know, a pretty serious life event recently," Tailgate laughed nervously, "It's kind of shaken up my sense of self."</p><p>Cyclonus regarded her for a moment, and decided not to pry. "Well, you know you're someone who wants to dress a certain way. Perhaps you should grab hold of that and run with it."</p><p>Tailgate nodded fiercely, "I want to. I'm going to try. I bought this jacket!" She fluffed out her jacket, sending little hairs shaking out, "It's a big deal for me, even if it's not much… I just hope one day I can be as cool as you are." </p><p>Cyclonus stopped at her car. "Well… good luck with that, then, Tailgate."</p><p>"Would you like to come over for coffee or something?" Tailgate asked, beaming.</p><p>Cyclonus shifted, caught off guard. "I… actually have band practice now, I can't. Perhaps another time."</p><p>Tailgate sunk, disappointed, but still holding up her smile. "Oh. Okay. Maybe another time." </p><p>"Well. Goodbye." Cyclonus said awkwardly, and then got into her car. Tailgate gave her a little wave and then walked back the exact way they had just come. Cyclonus watched her for a moment, lost in thought. Tailgate was strange.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>"Cyclonus!" Tailgate exclaimed, rushing to catch up to Cyclonus as she walked to her car from their history class for the fourth time. "I like your outfit today. The spikes are awesome."</p><p>"Thank you," Cyclonus said politely, and then gave Tailgate's new outfit a cursory glance. She was still wearing fairly normal base clothes, but she'd added a rainbow tutu on top and what looked like bunny ears on a headband. "I like your ears."</p><p>Tailgate lit up like Christmas, her eyes glimmering in delight. "Thank you!! I found them in an Easter clearance basket, hehe. They were so cute, though! I couldn't resist." She adjusted her headband happily. "I bet your accessories cost way more though, hehe. They look really high quality."</p><p>"Mm," Cyclonus nodded, "I've gotten them online, from shows or conventions, and I've made or had friends make some pieces. It's a collection that comes over time and with dedication."</p><p>"Do you do other shows? Like, singing?" </p><p>"We do some, but I also like attending other performances," Cyclonus told her, "I like music."</p><p>"I love music!" Tailgate bubbled, "Oh, actually, does your band have a CD or like, an iTunes page or something? I'd really love to listen to your songs again."</p><p>Cyclonus smiled despite herself. "We have a vinyl."</p><p>Tailgate's eyes shimmered and she took in a deep breath, hands rising in excited fists in front of her chest. "I've never played a record before! I don't even own a record player! That's so cool!"</p><p>"Perhaps you could come over sometime and I could show you mine," Cyclonus said, without really thinking. Tailgate wiggled happily and laced her fingers behind her back.</p><p>"I'd like that." </p><p>"Well, this is me," said Cyclonus, stepping up to her car. Tailgate gave her a wave and turned back the way they'd come. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Cyclonus waited for Tailgate to finish packing her bag before she left their history classroom for the walk to her car. They'd been doing it for weeks now and it seemed more practical just to wait for her since she insisted on coming anyway. </p><p>"Why are you auditing this class?" Cyclonus inquired.</p><p>"Hm?" Tailgate asked, tilting her head to the side.</p><p>"History. You don't turn in homework or participate in assignments. You aren't actually enrolled as a student, are you?"</p><p>"Oh," Tailgate laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her head, "I guess you got me. Yeah, I'm just auditing."</p><p>"How come? It's a basic level course, it's not particularly interesting," Cyclonus inquired. </p><p>"Well, I wanted to take a basic course, I thought it would- well, I thought it might be better for my purposes, but… it's really not helped after all," she sighed, staring at the ground.</p><p>Cyclonus blinked at her. "What was it supposed to do?"</p><p>Tailgate frowned and shrugged, before glancing around as if she was afraid someone else might overhear. "I've actually already got a bachelor's in history."</p><p>Cyclonus balked. "Why on earth are you taking a level one history course at a community college then?" </p><p>"Rotten luck, mostly. A few months ago I walked right into an open manhole like an idiot and hit my head. They say I was there all night before someone found me and brought me to the hospital. I was in a coma for three days cuz I had some really serious diabetes complications, and when I woke up?" She rapped the top of her head with her fist, "I can't remember the last six years."</p><p>Cyclonus stopped walking. "Seriously?"</p><p>Tailgate shrugged and smiled sadly. "Yeah, uh, I'm actually twenty-four, but- I dunno, the last thing I remember from before I woke up was working at the part time maid job I had when I was eighteen. It seems like it wasn't that long ago, but… yeah, well, I don't remember going to college at all. I was hoping maybe it would jog my memory."</p><p>Cyclonus stared at her, stunned. "That's crazy."</p><p>"Like I said," Tailgate said, shifting uncomfortably before she resumed walking, "Rotten luck."</p><p> Cyclonus kept up beside her, matching pace. "That's incredible. You're lucky to be alive."</p><p>"Yeah, people keep saying that. Mostly it just freaks me out looking in the mirror, like, why do I look like that? I look totally different than I think I do. I barely recognize myself. Like, that's not right! I'm not supposed to look like that!"</p><p>Cyclonus hesitated for a moment. "I understand that feeling, believe it or not."</p><p>Tailgate looked up at her. "Yeah?" </p><p>Cyclonus regarded her somberly. "I'm transgender, actually." </p><p>Tailgate's eyes widened for a moment before she hung her head. "God, you really <em> are </em>braver than me," she groaned miserably.</p><p>Cyclonus couldn't resist something close to a smile at such a bizarre response. "Why is that?" </p><p>"<em>Apparently </em> sometimes after a coma your interests change," Tailgate said dryly, "Six months ago, according to my iTunes, my favourite artist was Ed Sheeran. My closet is full of <em> khakis. </em> But now all I care about is house and trance music and rainbow tutus and bunny ears and furry jackets." She pulled off her rainbow flower crown and looked at it. "I'm scared if I start dressing in the things I like and hanging out with people who like the same stuff they'll realize I'm fake, or my memories will come back and I won't like it anymore. I don't know. I'm too chicken to just be whatever I wanna be right now." </p><p>Cyclonus stopped at her car and looked at her classmate for a moment. "Would you like a ride to the train station?"</p><p>"Huh?" </p><p>"You take the metro here, yes?" Cyclonus asked, "Would you like a ride to the station?"</p><p>Tailgate blinked, before a smile spread across her face. "I would love one!" </p>
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